Investigation
by Reginald Kastle
Summary: There's no point hiding in the shadows. Thomas sees an opportunity to gain information and takes it. Takes place during 108-109


**I had this headcanon that the Arclights have been silently watching the current events as the group go around and collect the numbers. Takes place between the 108-109, and slight spoilers for those episodes, of course. **

"Are you at the destination?" the question catches him slightly off- guard, but he makes no hesitation in turning to the screen and replying.

"Affirmative."

"Can you see anyone at the present site?"

"No."

"Keep guard. Don't let anyone pass through without your knowledge. Affirmative?"

The man sighs. "Affirmative."

"Excellent, son. Report back id anything important happens."

"Will do, father." The man replied before shutting the communicator off. He slumps into his seat, assigning himself sentry duty, though being the only person in the nearest 100kms really didn't give him much choice.

"Of course I'd be assigned to this area." The man mumbles to himself, crossing one leg over the other as a man with bright pink hair appears on the screen in front of him.

"Well, we agreed that you would cause less havoc this way!" he grins, causing the man to scowl. "Come now brother, it was a joke! But you're famous; you'd surely attract attention if you were to go anywhere else."

"you've come with news, I assume?" sure he comes off as rude though the words are fairly innocent, but he could probably care less; Mihael's used to it and he's not in the mood for games.

"Well, of course!" Mihael replies with a grin. "As you know, a week or so ago both barians and Yuma were spotted in Spartan City near the ruins I'm stationed at, right?" he waits for the man's nod of acknowledgement before continuing. "Well, shortly after, they were spotted near Chris's domain, then back in Heartland City."

"So these are the last ruins with a number, right?" the man confirms, tsking as he receives a curt nod.

"Correct, Thomas. And you should expect them soon. Remember, they aren't allowed to see you unless it's completely necessary. The last thing we need is a fight with people on the same side as us."

Thomas sneers as he crosses his arms. "I'm quite capable if it were to come to so, you know." Thomas rolls his eyes and blows a strand of hair from his face nonchalantly.

Mihael goes to say something but stops himself because as bad as it would be for Thomas to be fighting with his comrades in Yuma and co. It would be even worse for him to continue fighting with his own family. "How's the machine?"

"I can take it or leave it." he grumbles, pouting. It's not his fault, Thomas reasons to himself. He's used to open spaces so it's much too crampy for his liking.

"I would have made it larger but we didn't have the time." Mihael murmurs to himself before facing back to his brother. "I'm picking up bad weather on the surface, it's probably an indication that they'll be there soon."

"So am I just to 'observe'?" Thomas complains. "I can't even see the ruins or the surface at this point, so what's the deal?"

"Do you ever read anything father sends you?" Mihael frowns because as unconventional as Thomas is, he's clearly starting to miss out on important information. "Based on where you are, you aren't able to see the ruins because they've got some sort of power that is only able to be set off by a Barian or Astral himself." Mihael clicks a few keys on his computer before continuing. "When father was working with Kazuma, he told him about all the ruins he's been to already. This one in particular, you'll see some sort of portal or tunnel between them, like a – are you even listening?" Mihael demands, and of course he's not but this time he has a good reason.

"I see the tunnel thing." He comments but it's not the cause of the sudden tension that flies up his spine. It's the person seemingly just falling down the shaft at a rate that would surely kill upon impact. "Rio?" he questions, pushing to equipment to the side to gain a better view. Was this enough of a constitution to cause an appearance?

He doesn't need to think long before he's given a decision in the form of Rio's twin brother Ryouga diving after her, followed closely by Yuma and presumably Astral as well. Thomas slumps into his chair, glad that he didn't have to make a move and risk everything. An idea forms in his head; surely everyone's gone off the ship now, right? What's the harm in a little look around?

"Thomas, what are you doing?" Mihael objects cautiously as he fiddles with the controls and finds the resurface button.

"Spotted them." He comments boredly. "I'm going to have a little peek around the ship.

"Brother!" Mihael calls angrily, though he knows nothing he can say will change Thomas's mind once he's made his decision. "This isn't a part of the mission!"

"So?" Thomas questions, waiting patiently for the pressurization to modify to suit the surface. "Nothing like a little improv to keep the day exciting; remember that Mihael." He doesn't wait to hear his brother's reply before opening the top of the machine and hoisting himself up. He eyes the airship intently, trying to figure a reasonably sneaky way up. He finds one, and puts his plan into motion.

Meanwhile. Kotori doesn't know what to think. First Rio seemingly falls into the water and is sucked away, then Ryouga, Yuma and Astral as well! She's been left alone on a ship with no idea what to do until her friends come back.

_If they come back._

_No._ Kotori thinks to herself, dropping to the deck and clutching at the side of the boat. Not only that, but Durbe - the scary Barian leader that was more than ready to destroy Yuma and Astral – just casually appears before her and scares her into telling him their whereabouts.

Now not only was she terrified of not only whether her friends were going to return alive, but she had to be on the lookout for barians as well.

She crosses her arms over her legs anxiously as the same thoughts echo repeatedly through her head – _what could she possibly do to stop a Barian?_ She pauses, frowning to herself. It didn't matter what she did, as long as it delayed them for long enough that Yuma could survive. As much as she enjoyed breathing, she knew Yuma and Astral were much more important than herself.

Despite telling herself to stay strong, she could feel her nerves beginning to overwhelm her. She spies a noise that almost sounds like... grunting? It's accompanied by small thumping noises making their way up the ship and Kotori realizes that someone is trying to board. She tells herself that she's hearing things, but having Durbe appear before her had put her on edge, enough to feel at the ground around her for a weapon. Any weapon would do at the moment, for if she was going to go down; she was planning on taking as many barians as she could with her.

She begins to feel her heart pond mercilessly as she waits for the sound to reveal itself – she's located it to be near the top of the deck facing directly across from her. Her hands clutch at the small metal pipe in her hands, glad that she was even able to find such a weapon in the limited amount of time she had.

A hand finds its way to the edge, accompanied by another and Kotori can't help but raise an eye in confusion – what was going on? Those were definitely not Barian hands. The hands eventually pull a body up, but all Kotori needs to see before letting out a scream is the all too familiar maroon and blonde hair attached to a man that had wilfully hurt her friends.

"shit." Thomas mutters to himself as he throws his legs over the side of the boat and tumbles in. "wasn't expecting you to be here."

"What do you want, IV?" Kotori demands, holding the pipe up menacingly.

"Thomas blinks wildly before giving a small chuckle. "Forgive me; it's been a while since someone has called me by that name." He shudders at the thought, though it's only momentarily before his composure is back. "Believe it or not, I don't intend to hurt you. I actually had no idea you were even here."

"You didn't answer my question!" Kotori claims and she's staying strong, and her facade is working because she looks a lot stronger than she feels.

"Oh, right." Thomas replied, holding his hands in front of him in a sign of surrender. "I can't exactly explain, just know I don't intent to hurt you. I'm merely an observer now, nothing more."

"Observer?" Kotori questions, and though she's fully aware that he's a lying scumbag that would willingly hurt others to get what he needs but she cant... she can't help but trust him. "Elaborate. Now."

"..." Thomas grits his teeth, unsure of what to say. "I already told you I can't say. It's like this though, you really think Yuma and Astral and the barians are the only people still involved in this?"

"But didn't you guys get your revenge already?" Kotori questions, relaxing her posture slightly.

Thomas sighs. "Yeah, that's why we're only observers. I'm not even supposed to be here, I just wanted to look around. It's pretty intense." Thomas gives a sly grin, turning to walk towards the door.

"Where are you going!?" Kotori calls, walking after him, her weapon raised high.

"Relax, wont you?" Thomas calls casually. "I said I meant no harm. I'm just looking around. Feel free to hit me with that metal pole if I touch anything I shouldn't." He pushes the door to the side, waking in and stopping to take in the sight of the room around him. "Whoa. Just as intense on the inside too. This is really high tech stuff." He's genuinely impressed as he wanders around, followed closely by Kotori.

"So..." Kotori murmurs in an attempt to keep conversation so she could stop herself from panicking. "How are your family, anyway?"

"better." Thomas replies affectionately. "Much better." He runs his hands over the navigation system, marvelling at the technology at his fingertips. "This is amazing! How fast does this thing move?"

Kotori gives a small chuckle. "I don't know the specifics, so I wouldn't be able to say, sorry."

Thomas waves his hand at her direction. "No matter. Extremely fast, I assume so?" he pauses, thinking over a thought that appeared in his head. "It'd have to if it were to cross dimensions like it has been. How does it even run?"

Kotori blinks, unsure of what to say.

"I assume you don't know that either?" Thomas comments sadly. "No matter. Probably Astral energy. Is there anything that I desperately need to see?"

Kotori shrugs cautiously. "Uh, there's the dorms where we've been sleeping, but that's basically it."

"I don't need to see that, I couldn't care less." Thomas murmurs before turning back and heading outside. "I've gathered important information though, thanks for your help." He bends down, grabbing a rope from the side of the deck and throws it over the side to his vessel, before attaching it to the hook on the deck.

"Wait!" Kotori yells at him, his leg still hanging over the side of the boat. "Can't you stay? You could help Yuma and that; you guys surely have information, right?"

Thomas chuckles. "Can you imagine Ryouga's face if he saw his worst enemy actually helping him? I'm not here for a fight. Which reminds me..." he trails off, giving a sly grin. "Do me a favour and not tell them I was here? It could kind of ruin our plans. I'll know if you do, and well, you saw what I'm capable of. I wouldn't want to have to repeat it on your pretty face. Later." He gives a final wave and drops out of sight.

Kotori drops to her knees, staring blankly in front of her. Was there anything else that could possibly go wrong today?


End file.
